Good evening from India,
I've got a flight booked from Thailand to San Francisco on the 26th of June this year. The next flight I have booked is from Havana to Gatwick on the 2nd of September. I plan to split the time equally between the west coast of the States and Cuba, but I'm not yet sure how to actually get to Cuba. I know it's impossible to fly direct out of the States, so that leaves Mexico and Canada. I'd imagine it's cheaper to fly from Mexico City than Vancouver, for example, but which is easier?
There's a few music festivals and suchlike I'd like to visit in northern California and Oregon, so it might make sense to go via Canada, but is it prohibitavely expensive? What sort of prices am I looking at? Budget traveller here..
My other question was regarding the Cuban visa, where to get it and suchlike. I'm from the UK and I've got one of those new chipped passports if that makes any difference.
Thanks for your help.
Even if you make it all the way up the West Coast to Vancouver, it will be cheaper and easier for you to fly Seattle to Cancun or Mexico City, and from there to Havana.
Flying from Vancouver one way on AirCanada involves the redeye to Toronto, and then TO to HAV (12 hours travel time) - somewhere around $1000 Cdn one way.
You could book a charter to Varadero which may involve a stop but not a change of planes (has to be a return flight but you can throw away the return portion) for about the same. You could take a chance and hope for a selloff fare of as low as $129 (about $350 with taxes) but that is if-fy. These flights may or may not stop in Calgary and the seat dimensions are comfortable for a 6 year old. Again, regular booked in advance fare will be around $1000 Cdn with taxes.
Yeeeesh, $1000 Cdn? That's getting on for 500 sterling. Sounds like the Mexico route might be easier. I've been reading the Cuban FAQ, it looks like a bloody expensive country to travel in, so I may have to limit my time there. That said, the US is no better. Everything money-wise is a bit of a shock after India.
Thanks for the help, anyway. Anything on the visa thing?
If you fly from Canada, the visa (actually a tourist card) is included in the price of your ticket.
In Mexico City or Cancun, you can buy it at the airport near the check-in terminals. $15 US I think.
I don't know your citizenship status - so you would need to confirm qualification to enter your choice of Canada or Mexico.
If you qualified for entry into Mexico - I could suggest a alterntive.
a) San Francisco to San Diego (southern most California airport approx 20 miles from Mexico/Tijuan border). There are "budget" one-way fares from San Fanscisco airports to San Diego with advance pruchase which can be very affordable.
b) short bus ride or short taxi from San Diego aiport (which is dwontown adjacent) to downtown San Diego trolley station
c) San Diego trolley to Tijuana border - do a google and you can check that ticket cost
d) short walk across the border
e) short USD$12 cab ride from the border to Tijuana airport
f) connect with Mexicana from Tijuana on single ticket, one stop Mexico City, to Havana - the flights leave Tijuana about 1AM and with the connection arrive Havana around 3PM same day. Check fares on Mexicana.com - or since you are looking for one way you may have to call. These fares are not discounted for advance purchase and depend on season, usually around USD$600
g) If you choose the TJ route thru Mexico City do a board search for how to get your Cuba toursit visa coupon in Mexico City behind the internaional checkin area for the Mexico City to Havan flight - you do not get the Cuban tourist visa coupon in TJ
If you choose the TJ route you get another good California city to spend time in, and the whole process is a lot easier than it sounds.
Good news, bad news for the Canada option. Vancouver (YVR) to Havana (HAV) via Toronto (YYZ) on the overnight "redeye" service as mentioned by #1 is a reasonable routing without too many complications in scheduled service. You can avail yourself of Air Canada, s current worldwide seat sale and travel on any of 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, or 17 August with actual arrival in Havana early afternoon the following day for the allinclusive one-way fare of CDA 745.38 but only if you book by midnight tonight 26 April.
Charter carriers and various selloff bargains are possible but less likely to be available to Cuba from Canada's west coast. You would need the capability of having someone watch out for the availability of these fares for you, which is more difficult for someone to do while in a travel status.
If you cannot avail yourself of the AC seat sale immediately - by that I mean right now, then a routing through Mexico will likely be more productive for you.
Good luck!
trusted partner
